Tool-handle gearing.



TOOL HANDLE GEARING.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-16. 1915.

1,18%426 Patented 11ay16,1916.

FREDERICK BOOTH, OF MICHIGAN CITY, INDIANA.

TOOL-HANDLE GEARING.

Application filed October 16, 1915.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, lFREDERICK BOOTH, a citizen of the United States, residing in Michigan City, in the county of Laporte and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tool- Handle Gearing, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tools of the class in which a handle is provided with means for detachably connecting it with various tools or tools of diferent sizes, such as screw-drivers, drills, etc., and which are so vconstructed and equipped that` by merely pushing on the handle the tool may be rotated. In such tools it is customary to so construct the mechanism that the tool ceases to revolve when pressure is released and the handle is returnedA to its normal position, and'to provide means whereby the tool may be rigidly connected with the handle, so that it may be operated by merely turning or twisting the handle in the ordinary way.

vThe object of my invention is to so improve tools of this class that they are made stronger, more quick, reliable and easy in operation, less apt to get out of order, and more quickly and easily adjusted.

My invention involves certain improvements in the construction of the mechanism for rotating the tool whereby such mechanism is simplified and made to operate with reduced friction.

My improvements are illustrated in the accompanying` drawings, in which- Figure l shows a longitudinal central section of a combination tool handle and tool embodying my improvements. Fig. 1a shows a longitudinal section of the handle with the spindle and parts connected therewith in elevation, the spindle being in its inner position or the position which it occupies before pressure lis applied to the handle. Figs. 2, 3 and l are on an enlarged scale, Fig. 2 showing a transverse section on'the line 2-,-2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 shows a longitudinal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 shows a cross section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

The handle preferably comprises a hollow wooden outer part A and a metal tubular linner part A which is rigidly connected with the wooden part and these two parts move together when the tool is operated. rllhe inner end of the tubular part Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May i6, 19in..

Serial No. 56,199.

A is closed by a head a to which it is rigidly secured. A rack l having oblique teeth and mounted within the hollow hanle extends from the cap a to the closed end of the handle and is rigidly secured to the tubular part A', as shown. The spindle C extends longitudinally within the handle parallel with therack B and is adapted to move endwise relatively thereto. This spindle is connected with the tool chuck in a manner hereinafter described, and it is supported and guided by the head a and by the sliding spindle bearing l) within which the spindle rotates, but with which it moves endwise. This spindle bearing is shown in detail in Figs. 2, 3 and l, and comprises a body portion CZ of general circular or cylindrical shape of approximately the inner diameter of the tube A', and it carries ball bearing fl for reducing friction to a minimum as the bearing moves back and forth in the handle. The bearing is connected to move endwise with the spindle by means of a collar Z2 attached to the spindle close to the bearing and by the spiralpinion E which is fixed to the outer end of the spindle.

Ball bearings e, c' are interposed between the collar, the pinion and the bearing to take end-thrust and reduce friction, and in order to lubricate the pinion, I provide a pad F, supported by a plate f and partially surrounding the pinion. The pad also serves to lubricate the inner wall of the tube A. By this construction not only is the pinion and rack supplied with a lubricant to reduce friction, but the movement of the spindle-bearing is made easy despite the fact that considerable sidewise pressure is exerted by the bearing on its tubular guide. The pad also serves to remove from the tubular casingany dust or grit that may enter it. In other words, the pad keeps the interior of the casing perfectly smooth and clean, and therefore enables the spindlebearing to reciprocate with a minimum amount of friction.

It will be observed that the bearing D is cut away or recessed to receive the rack B and as the bea ring moves back and forth in the handle the rack is straddled b v the bearing, A coiled spring Y surrounds the spindle C and is connected at one end 7/ to the head c and its opposite end is connected at y to the collar d2. This spring is an extension spring, vf. e., it `normally holds the bearing D in the position shown in Fig. l, and when the bearing moves to the outer en'd of the hand-le the `spring is extended and put under tension and therefore tends to move the spindle away from the handle or to the position shown in Fig. la.

By the construction described the pinion E is made to float, as it were, in the hollow handle which serves as a guide for the spindle. Said pinion does not engage the walls of the handle nor does it necessarily rest on the rack. It is held in this way by the spindle bearing D which it will `be observed has the ball bearing d in its periphery which engages the smooth inner walls of the handle. In this way friction is reduced to a minimum. It will be further observed that in the operation of the tool the side thrust imparted to the pinion is received'by the ball bearings e, e which also receive end thrust. Said side thrust of the spindle is iirst transmitted to the balls e, c and through them to the spindle bearing and the side thrust of the spindle bearing is transmitted to the balls el which have a rolling and easy contact with the inner wall of the handle. Friction is 4further reduced by the pad F which serves not only to brush away dust or the li-ke from the inner wall of the handle, but it also applies lubricating material to said wall and to the pinion and through the latter to the rack. By the construction employed a very simple and inexpensive form of anti-friction device may be used in the tool.

The spindle C extends through the head a and carries a chuck G which may be of any suitable construction. Some of the details of the chuck are shown in Fig. l, but as such details are not herein claimed they are not specifically described.

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. la the tool is ready 'for use as an automatic tool driver. When the handle is pressed inward the pinion E, which engages the rack B, is made to rotate and move endwise toward the outer end of the handle and while so doing the spring Y is extended. This movement of the spindle causes the chuck and the tool X carried thereby to rotate. As soon as pressure is removed from the handle the spring Y draws the pinion E toward the head a and to the position shown in Fig. 11 ready for another operation and while the tool, if a screwdriver, is still in engagement with the screw. These operations can be repeated indefinitely until the work is finished.

Experience'has demonstrated that a tool constructed in accordance with my invention may be quickly adjusted, operates with a minimum amount of friction, is not apt to bind or get out of order, and as the mechanism is simple it may be constructed at relatively small expense.

I claim as my invention:

l. A tool, comprising a` hollow spindle guide, a rack bar having oblique teeth and disposed longitudinally in the guide on one side only of its longitudinal axis, a spindle within the guide parallel with the rack bar, a spindle bearing moving longitudinally of the rack bar with the spindle and bearing against the inner wall of the guide, anda pinion iixed to the spindle and engaging the rack bar.

2. A tool, comprising a hollow spindle guide, a rack bar disposed longitudinally in the guide on one side only of its longitudinal axis, a spindle within the guide parallel with the rack bar, a spindle bearing moving longitudinally of the rack bar with the spindle, bearing against the inner wall of the guide and in which thev spindle rotates, and apinion fixed to the spindle and engaging the rack bar.

3. A tool, comprising a hollow spindle guide, a rack disposed longitudinallyzin the guide on one side only of its longitudinal axis, .a spindle within the guide parallel with the rack, a spindle bearing moving longitudinally `of the rack with the spindle and provided with an anti-friction bearing on its periphery engaging the inner wall of the guide, and a pinion fixed to the spindle and engaging the rack.

Ll. A tool, comprising a hollow spindle guide, a rack disposed longitudinally in the guide on one side only vof its longitudinal axis, a spindle within the guide parallel with the rack, a spindle bearing through which the spindle extends, an anti-friction bearing interposed between the spindle and the spindle bearing for transmitting the side thrust of the spindle to the spindle bearing, and a pinion iixed to the spindle and engaging the rack.

5. A tool, comprising a spindle guide, a rack disposed longitudinally in the guide on one side only of its longitudinal axis, a spindle within the guide parallel with the rack, a spindle bearing moving longitudinally of the rack with the spindle and through which the spindle extends, an antifriction bearing interposed between the spindle and the spindle bearing, an antiriction bearing carried in the periphery of the spindle bearing and adapted to engage the inner wall of the guide, and a pinion iixed to the spindle and engaging the rack.

6. A tool, comprising a hollow spindle guide, a rack having oblique teeth and disposed longitudinally within the guide on one side only 4ofv its longitudinal axis, a spindle within the guide parallel with the rack, a pinion fixed to the spindle and engaging the rack, and a spindle bearing supporting the spindle within the guide and CII 'serving to float the pinion in the guide while engaging the rack and to hold it away from the wall of the guide.

7. A tool, comprising a hollow spindle guide, a rack having oblique teeth and disposed longitudinally in the guide on one side only of its longitudinal axis, a spindle within the guide parallel with the rack, a spindle bearing moving longitudinally of the rack with the spindle and bearing against the inner wall of the guide, a pinionl iXed to the spindle and engaging the rack and an extension spring attached to the guide and to the spindle bearing and serving to draw the spindle into the guide.

8. A tool, comprising a hollow spindle guide, a rack disposed longitudinally in the guide on one side only of its longitudinal axis, a spindle within the guide parallel with the rack, a spindle bearing moving longitudinally of the rack with the spindle and which is recessed to receive the rack and bears on the inner wall of the guide, and a pinlion fixed to the spindle and engaging the rac 9. A tool, comprising a hollow spindle guide, a rack disposed longitudinally in the guide on one side only of its longitudinal axis, a spindle within the guide parallel with the rack, a spindle bearing moving longitudinally of the rack within the guide and bearing against the inner wall thereof, a pinion iixed to the spindle and engaging the rack, and a lubricating pad carried by the spindle and engaging the inner wall of the guide and the pinion.

l0. In a tool, the combination of a hollow spindle guide, a spindle mounted to reciprocate therein, a spindle bearing which supports the spindle and moves longitudinally therewith in the guide, a rack bar within the guide, a pinion fixed to the spindle and engaging the rack bar, an anti-friction bearing interposed between the spindle bearing and the inner wall of the guide, and a lubrieating pad carried by said spindle bearing and engaging the inner wall of the guide.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

FREDERICK BOOTH.

Witnesses SARAH GILLESPIE, RUFUS BOOTH.

copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Potente, Wohington, B. C.

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